Entries from July 2017

Statham City Council agreed last week in a called meeting that future SPLOST money would be used to retire debt on the water and sewer improvements the city has made and on road and street projects.
The city spent about $3.2 million on its water and sewer system, primarily sewer lines, several years ago, Mayor Robert Bridges said.
City Clerk Mai Chang said the city pays more than $500,000 a year on that debt serveice and owes about $207,000.
Based on that figure, the city probably could pay the utility debt out of the current SPLOST money.
Statham would receive about $1.7 million from the future SPLOST. A referendum on that is likely in November. Statham is a sideline watcher in a dispute that is basically between Barrow County and the City of Winder. Bridges noted Winder has to sign off on any intergovernmental agreement, which the county wants and the city does not.
The county seeks an agreement so that the SPLOST could be six years instead of five and so the county could use revenue to reduce its debt service. If the county were to use the money for debt service, that money would come off the top of the estimated $66 million.
However, Winder council voted last year to not support an IGA that would allow that use.
Winder Mayor David Maynard said at the most recent meeting that allowing money to be used for county debt service undercuts funding to the cities.
If the money is not used for debt retirement, county officials have said residents might see as much as a 2-mill increase to pay for that.

Auburn City Council, during its meeting Thursday, approved a city list of capital improvement project categories that will appear on a likely Barrow County 1-cent special-purpose local-option sales tax voter referendum this fall.
Heading the list of Auburn projects would be funding for a new municipal complex, along with transportation, parks and recreation, facilities and equipment for various departments, and water, sewer and stormwater projects.
The Barrow Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote July 28 whether to place the referendum on the ballot.
If approved, the current 1-cent SPLOST, which expires June 30, 2018, would continue an additional five years through June 30, 2023.
The five-year tax, if approved, is projected to generate $56.6 million.
Of that total, $7.4 million would be taken off the top for an expansion of facilities at Victor Lord Park and the remaining $49.2 million would be distributed between the county and its municipalities based on population figures from the 2010 U.S. Census.
Under that formula, Auburn would collect $4.74 million which would be distributed as follows:
•$2 million for the municipal complex.
•$750,000 for transportation needs (roads, streets, bridges and related facilities and equipment)
•$690,555 for water and sewer capital improvements and related facilities
•$400,000 for parks and recreation facilities and equipment
•$350,000 for police and public safety facilities and equipment
•$300,000 for public works facility and equipment
•$250,000 for stormwater facilities and equipment.

Two men living in Barrow County were arraigned recently on federal firearm and drug charges.
Miguel Angel Rosas-Ramirez, 24, a Mexican citizen living in Statham, and Eduardo Estrada Medina, 28, a Guatemalan citizen living in Winder were indicted by a federal grand jury June 27.
According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, Rosas-Ramirez allegedly obtained a Georgia Weapons Carry Permit by falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and used the permit to illegally purchase more than 100 firearms over the past year, eventually selling them to others, including Medina.
The indictment alleges Medina, who was also known as Miguel Angel Donis-Gonzalez, purchased guns from Rosas-Ramirez and trafficked drugs. He allegedly also had 8.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, over $140,000 in cash and other drug paraphernalia in his home.
Medina was deported in January 2013 after he was convicted of drug trafficking, but then illegally re-entered the U.S.
Medina faces charges of unlawful possession of firearms by an alien, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, possession of an unregistered silencer, and unlawful possession of firearms by a felon. Rosas-Ramirez has been charged with unlawful possession of firearms by an alien, unlawful dealing in firearms, unlawful claim to U.S. citizenship and 18 counts of fraudulent statements to licensed gun dealers in connection with firearms purchases, according to the release.
“Guns are an all-too-frequent part of the illegal drug business, and the majority of these guns arrive in drug dealers’ hands from illegal firearm trafficking as alleged in this case,” U. S. Attorney John Horn said in the release. “This case is even more troubling because one of the alleged gun purchasers already had been deported once as a result of illegal drug trafficking, and yet found his way back to the United States and to the dangerous combination of methamphetamine and guns.”
“ATF’s involvement in securing this indictment is a prime example of the successful use of federal laws to confront, engage and eliminate criminal activity. Criminals must understand that there are serious repercussions for illegal trafficking of narcotics and illegal possession of firearms and that ATF will contribute all necessary time and effort to ensure that the individuals responsible are brought to justice,” added assistant special agent in charge John Schmidt.

WINDER - Jerry Randall Martin, 80, passed away July 6, 2017, surrounded by his family, following a courageous battle with cancer. A native of Winder for the last 17 years, Mr. Martin was the son of the late Berthaleen “Tiny” (Swords) Bowen. He was retired from the United States Air Force after serving his country 26 years and enjoying the ...
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COLBERT - Patricia Ann “Patti” Jones, 46, passed away on Wednesday, July 5, 2017. Mrs. Jones was preceded in death by her father, Gilbert T. Jones; grandparents, Rev. and Mrs. T. W. (Areatha) Jones, and Mr. and Mrs. Lon B. (Zona) Dyer. She was born on April 12, 1971, in Decatur, Ga. She graduated from East Hall High School and grew up in ...
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WINDER - Raymond D. Murphy, 81, entered Heaven’s Gates on July 8, 2017. A native of Barrow County, he was the son of the late George and Jewell Doster Murphy. Mr. Murphy was preceded in death by his sister, Dot Johnson; and brother, Terrell Murphy. He was a retired inspector with Roper Pump Company of Commerce, and was a United States Army ...
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A house fire that destroyed a Winder home and killed a dog Thursday morning apparently was caused by an electrical malfunction, according to investigators with Barrow County Emergency Services and the State Fire Marshal's Office.
According to a Barrow County Emergency Services news release, crews arrived at the house in the 1600 block of Bismarck Circle around 11 a.m. Thursday and found the single-story house in flames. Neighbors were in the home's garage removing two dogs in kennels and were instructed to exit the garage. Shortly thereafter, the garage collapsed.
The house suffered extensive fire damage and was declared a total loss. The dog's body was recovered from the home. The residents of the house were not home at the time of the fire. A neighboring home also suffered significant exterior damage in the form of melted siding, but the fire did not spread to it. A neighboring home on the opposite side was also damaged due to high heat, but had only minor damage to the exterior siding.

The widow of an Auburn man who, along with his dog, was shot and killed early Sunday morning said their neighbor may have committed the crime due to a dispute over dog feces.
Paul Wilson, 44, was found shot to death along with one of his dogs near his home on Crest Pointe Court around 1:20 a.m. Sunday. Larry Bates, 46, who lived across the street from Wilson, has been accused of committing the crime and has been charged with murder and animal cruelty.
In a post on the Barrow News-Journal’s Facebook page this week, Wilson’s wife, Beth, said Bates had been harassing the couple for several months and was under the belief their dogs were defecating in his yard, a claim the Wilsons denied, and that the harassment had resulted in “many instances of police involvement.”
“Paul, wanting to diffuse the situation, offered to clean up any dog waste regardless of its origin,” Beth Wilson wrote. “Larry was caught many times waiting and watching for Paul’s walks with his dogs after Paul’s late-night return home from work.”
Wilson said her husband returned home from work at 1 a.m. Sunday and took his dogs out for a walk. She said she heard gunshots and ran toward Paul, who was lying on the ground three doors down, passing Bates who was “quickly making his way back toward his house.”
Paul Wilson had been shot in the head and torso while one of his two dogs had also been killed. The other dog had escaped and run home.
Auburn police Lt. Christopher Hodge said Thursday police had responded to Bates’ house in the past, but would not reveal the frequency or content of the visits.
The visits “are a part of this investigation and I cannot release that information at this time,” Hodge said.
Meanwhile, Paul Wilson has been widely mourned by family, friends and neighbors on social media this week.
“Paul Wilson is known by his family, friends and co-workers as a kind-hearted, gentle soul who regarded his dogs as an extension of family,” Beth Wilson wrote. “He always assumed the best intentions of everyone.”
Two GoFundMe pages have been set up to provide financial relief and support to Wilson’s family. The pages had raised more than $5,200 combined as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
To view the pages, go to https://www.gofundme.com/paul-wilson-family-fund and https://www.gofundme.com/BethPaulWilson.
Check back for updates and see more in the July 12 issue of the Barrow News-Journal.

ATHENS - Mary Ellen Cox Thompson, 69, passed away Wednesday, July 5, 2017. Although her family is deeply saddened by her passing, knowing that she is at peace and no longer in pain is a blessing to them all. She was originally from Winder and was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Mary Sue Cox of Winder. Survivors include her husband, ...
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